Check Out Our Current Issue!
In the June 2026 Issue of the Iowa Sportsman
- Waterfowl Hunting Tips for Beginners: 5 Ways to Start
- Deer Hunting Preparation in June: Set Up for Success
- 5 Ways to Cook Fresh Fish in Summer
- A Guide to Summer Catfishing
- Are Allergies More Common Today in Dogs?
- June Food Plot Planting in Iowa: What to Grow Now
- Why Suppressors Are Gaining Popularity Today
Click Here To View This Issue Now!
Keeping Warm When the Hunt is Cold
Keeping Warm When the Hunt is Cold Normally you purchase one of the fair-weathered early muzzleloader tags. Historically it’s been such a good season to hunt, but this year you had an ill-timed work conference that ate up most of that choice week. Preferring the length of a muzzleloader season, you settled on hunting the […]
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Whitetail Rut Q&A
Whitetail Rut Q&A 1. Is using a decoy worth the risk or hassle? It seems like a lot of work and risk to maybe have a buck come in closer. If so how do you maximize your results? Personally, I don’t hunt with a decoy setup. I’ve tried it in the past and have not […]
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Tips for Success: Wood Ducks
Tips for Success: Wood Ducks Some may disagree with me, but a Drake Wood Duck is one of the prettiest birds on the planet in my opinion. Aside from being one of the best tasting ducks due to their acorn and berry (they do eat other things as well) diet; their feathers are ideal for […]
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When the Waterfowl Disappear, Late Season Waterfowl
When the Waterfowl Disappear, Late Season Waterfowl Iowa just seems to be in that perfect position on the continent that hardly lends itself to be a waterfowl hunting destination state. Maybe imperfect is the better word and many local hunters will refer to it as “The Fly Over State”. Okay, this might be a little […]
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Featured Story
Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill
Spring is in full swing here in Iowa, and what can be more pleasant a reminder than the sound of birds, the sight of flowers blooming, and the feel of a warm afternoon? I can think of at least one more thing…Panfish!
I can remember it like yesterday, our family would all meet up at the lake house. There was work to do. The yard was to be picked up, the cabin cleaned, and the dock had to be put in. But then, after the work was finished, it was time for all of us cousins to fish! We would all go out to the garage to pick out a few old rods and tie on a hook and sinker as best we could.
The next order of business was to hunt for worms. Flipping anything that we could find stuck in the ground in hopes of just finding a few crawlers. Once the bait was secured, we were ready to fish. We would go out on the dock and cast, vertical jig, and even troll along the side of the dock. We usually did pretty well use those tactics, but my all-time favorite was walking along the rocks on shore and dropping the bait down every little crevice, not knowing what was going to come up next.
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The Iowa Sportsman website and magazine are Iowa’s only privately owned media sources catering to hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts here in Iowa. Simply put, we are unlike other Iowa outdoor media sources: All our staff is from Iowa, from our publisher to our writers. We actually follow through on what we advertise; we provide knowledgeable content from people who know the industry or sport discussed.
